Swaffham
 Swaffham is one of the small Market towns, which grew during Norfolk’s wealthy medieval agricultural past. Dominated by a huge church, most of the Georgian & Victorian facades hide medieval houses. In its hey day there were more theatres, assembly rooms, pleasure gardens and a race course and lady Nelson preferred to live here because Burnham was too quiet! The town itself sits on a slight rise, elevating Swaffham’s two wind turbines and giving visitors a first glimpse from afar.
Historically, the town was a stopping point for pilgrims going to Walsingham and a funnel; for travellers going south from the Norfolk coast. It was also the main market for goods and travellers East and West. Today you no longer need to hire a guide to take you West through the Fenland landscape but the old drove roads remain giving unique access to quiet countryside. Peddar’s way, www.nationaltrail.co.uk/peddarsway the old roman road runs north to south through Swaffham linking up with the Icknield Way www.icknieldwaypath.co.uk and is now a long distance pathway to the coast. Both the theatre and the racecourse closed in the 1840’s but it is now possible to enjoy a new theatre at West Acre www.westacreriverstudios.co.uk and the Racecourse at Fakenham www.fakenhamracecourse.co.uk.
 A stroll through the eclectic market reveals treasures among the bric-a-brac and book stalls, fresh local produce and greengrocery, a wide variety of cheese and eggs and the popular auction on the ‘Stones’ opposite the Market Cross, itself adorned with the statue of Ceres, the Roman goddess of the harvest.
www.ecotech.org.uk
www.ecotricity.com
www.aroundswaffham.co.uk
A sincere thank you to the generosity of the photographers and support of the organisations and businesses who made it possible through this website to show the unique beauty of the Brecks countryside; Chris and Peter Farndell; Chris Knights; Graham Portlock; David Mason; Go Ape and the Brecks Countryside Partnership
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